Evaluating the Efficacy of a Pre-Established Lipid-Lowering Algorithm in Managing Hypercholesterolemia in Patients at Very High Cardiovascular Risk.

Background: Recent data from European studies (EUROASPIRE V, DA VINCI, SANTORINI) indicate that achieving the LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) target in patients at very high cardiovascular risk is uncommon. Additionally, using a combination therapy involving statins and ezetimibe remains infrequent.

Methods: A single-center assessment of a pre-defined lipid lowering treatment algorithm's effectiveness at achieving the LDL-C target in patients at very high cardiovascular risk one month and one year after hospitalization.

Complete versus incomplete revascularization in patients with a non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction: Analysis from the e-ULTIMASTER registry.

Background: Incomplete revascularization (ICR) has been associated with a worse prognosis after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In NSTEMI patients with multivessel disease (MVD) however, the benefit of a complete revascularization (CR) remains unclear.

Methods: Patients presenting with an NSTEMI and MVD were selected from the global e-ULTIMASTER registry and grouped according to completeness of revascularization at index hospitalization discharge.

Impact of Pre-Transplant Left Ventricular Diastolic Pressure on Primary Graft Dysfunction after Lung Transplantation: A Narrative Review.

Lung transplantation (LT) constitutes the last therapeutic option for selected patients with end-stage respiratory disease. Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a form of severe lung injury, occurring in the first 72 h following LT and constitutes the most common cause of early death after LT. The presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been reported to favor PGD development, with a negative impact on patients' outcomes while complicating medical management.

Emerging Trends in Left Ventricular Thrombus: A Comprehensive Review of Non-Ischemic and Ischemic Cardiopathies, Including Eosinophilic Myocarditis, Chagas Cardiomyopathy, Amyloidosis, and Innovative Anticoagulant Approaches.

This comprehensive review explores the intricate aspects of left ventricular thrombus (LVT), a potential complication in both ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. It provides a thorough understanding of left ventricular thrombus, revealing its uncommon incidence in the general population (7 cases per 10,000 patients), predominantly linked to ischemic heart diseases (ICMs) at an 80% prevalence rate. Diagnostic tools, notably transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), demonstrate varying sensitivity but remain indispensable in specific clinical contexts related to LVT as non-invasive diagnostic modalities.

Unmasking Pandemic Echoes: An In-Depth Review of Long COVID's Unabated Cardiovascular Consequences beyond 2020.

At the beginning of 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a new pandemic, leading to a worldwide health crisis and overwhelming healthcare systems due to high numbers of hospital admissions, insufficient resources, and a lack of standardized therapeutic protocols. Multiple genetic variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been detected since its first public declaration in 2020, some of them being considered variants of concern (VOCs) corresponding to several pandemic waves. Nevertheless, a growing number of COVID-19 patients are continuously discharged from hospitals, remaining symptomatic even months after their first episode of COVID-19 infection.

Magmaris Resorbable Magnesium Scaffold Versus Conventional Drug-Eluting Stent in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: 1-Year Results of a Propensity-Score-Matching Comparison.

Magmaris® (Biotronik AG, Switzerland) is the first RMS and early experience has shown promising results in stable coronary artery disease. Acute coronary syndromes have been hypothesized as a potential target group for bioresorbable scaffolds, but the efficacy and safety of RMS has not been extensively studied in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). BEST-MAG is a prospective multicenter trial designed to evaluate optical coherence tomography (OCT-)guided implantation of resorbable magnesium scaffold (RMS) in STEMI.

Typical dynamic electrocardiographic changes in Takotsubo syndrome.

Aims: Negative T waves and QTc prolongation often occur in patients with Takotsubo syndrome. Description of typical electrocardiographic changes could be a diagnosis element of this syndrome. This study aimed to clarify on the one hand the more preciously possible the typical electrocardiographic changes, and on the other hand, the timing of occurrence of these abnormalities compared to the trigger occurrence, the symptoms onset and the hospital admission.

Cardiac computed tomography in asymptomatic siblings of patients with premature coronary disease: illustrations and current knowledge.

A strong family history of early-onset coronary artery disease (CAD) may represent a substantial predictor of enhanced development of subclinical atherosclerosis in a sibling population. In this population, standard cardiovascular (CV) risk assessment could be underrated with the predictive capacity of the Framingham Risk Score. At present, cardiac computed tomography (CT) provides a high diagnostic performance for the detection of coronary atherosclerosis.

Early prognosis and predictor analysis for positive coronary angiography after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Background: Key predictors of survival after OHCA have been described in the literature. Current guidelines recommend emergency angiography in patients without an obvious extra-cardiac cause of arrest. However, the value of this strategy is debated.

Double guide double wrist 5F left coronary artery transradial percutaneous coronary intervention and the X-Kiss technique.

Percutaneous coronary intervention for bifurcated anatomy, particularly at the proximal left coronary artery site, requires guide catheters (GC) of at least 6 french and preferably larger in diameter. We describe a new trans-radial approach more suitable for small artery size: the simultaneous use of both radial arteries for double cannulation of the LMCA with 5F GC: each GC will target either the LM/LAD or the LM/CX artery (or LM-LAD/LM-LAD-1st diagonal branch) stenoses. The technique successfully was applied to 5 cases.

Transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation: results from the Belgian registry.

Aims: This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy at midterm follow-up of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) using different devices, in real life in Belgium.

Methods And Results: Between June 2009 and November 2016, 457 consecutive patients (63% male, 75±12 yrs, CHA2DS2-VASc 4±0.6, HAS-BLED 3.

Usefulness of a Gentle and Short Hemostasis Using the Transradial Band Device after Transradial Access for Percutaneous Coronary Angiography and Interventions to Reduce the Radial Artery Occlusion Rate (from the Prospective and Randomized CRASOC I, II, and III Studies).

The study sought to evaluate the benefit of the reduction in intensity and duration of the hemostasis obtained with the transradial (TR) Band compression device on the radial artery occlusion (RAO) rate. RAO is the most frequent complication of TR access for cardiac catheterization and limits future use of this safe route. Its occurrence must be minimized.

Cardiopoietic cell therapy for advanced ischaemic heart failure: results at 39 weeks of the prospective, randomized, double blind, sham-controlled CHART-1 clinical trial.

Aims: Cardiopoietic cells, produced through cardiogenic conditioning of patients' mesenchymal stem cells, have shown preliminary efficacy. The Congestive Heart Failure Cardiopoietic Regenerative Therapy (CHART-1) trial aimed to validate cardiopoiesis-based biotherapy in a larger heart failure cohort.

Methods And Results: This multinational, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study was conducted in 39 hospitals.

Long-term effect of molsidomine, a direct nitric oxide donor, as an add-on treatment, on endothelial dysfunction in patients with stable angina pectoris undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: results of the MEDCOR trial.

Objective: The MEDCOR trial is a double-blind, randomized study aiming at demonstrating the superiority of molsidomine (direct NO donor) over placebo, used as add-on treatments, on improving endothelial function (EF) after 12 months, in stable angina patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: EF was assessed by peripheral vasodilator response (i.e.

Elevation of biomarkers and long-term outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background/objectives: The impact of an elevation of cardiac biomarkers occurring after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on long-term outcome remains controversial. Most available data are based on observational registries using multivariable analysis. In this study, a case-control approach was used to assess separately the impact of post-PCI elevation of CK-MB on the short-term in-hospital outcome and on the long-term outcome after hospital discharge.

Distal 'buddy-in-jail' technique: a complementary 'Jail with stent' method for stent delivery.

Delivery of coronary stents can be challenging, but the use of a second or 'buddy' wire helps the progression of equipment through tortuous and rigid vessels. We successfully positioned a coronary stent in a distal lesion, intentionally jailing the buddy wire during stent delivery. The jailed wire was then used to proceed further with proximal coronary stenting.

Double-blind parallel placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effect of molsidomine on the endothelial dysfunction in patients with stable angina pectoris undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: the MEDCOR Trial.

The effects of molsidomine (a direct nitric oxide donor) on the endothelial dysfunction have never been evaluated using reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT). The objective of the MEDCOR double-blind trial will be to demonstrate the superiority of molsidomine (Coruno® 16 mg, once daily) over placebo, on improving the endothelial function (Endoscore by RH-PAT) after 12 months of treatment in stable angina patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Study design will take care of the real-life situation, in which patients are being offered PCI and stent placement (drug-eluting or bare metal), but also gold standard medical therapy (beta-blockers, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), and/or calcium antagonists).